‘Foot soldier’ Franco Debono to receive over €24,000 for Law Commissioner post

Newly appointed Commissioner for Law Franco Debono to recieve over €24,000 for post.

Franco Debono
Franco Debono

Former Nationalist MP and criminal lawyer Franco Debono was appointed as Commissioner of Law to "revive a dormant structure," Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici said.

Describing Debono as a "footsoldier," Bonnici said that he was the ideal candidate to "give life to what was a dormant office," while underlining Debono's experience as chairman of the parliamentary committee for the re-codification and consolidation of laws during the last legislature.

Replying to questions this morning on the appointment, Bonnici said that Debono was chosen because "he is the best candidate for the post" and confirmed that no other persons were in the running for the job.
Debono will be receiving a wage for the job, which Bonnici said, was modelled on other similar institutional roles, such as the Commissioner for Children.

The Parliamentary Secretary for Justice said Debono's wage will amount to 60% of similar salaries since he will not be employed on a fulltime basis, meaning that Debono will earn €18,401 per year.

He will also benefit from allowances which total around €6,000.

The former PN dissident will be assisted in his job by the Justice Unit, which Bonnici said needed to be re-organised.
"The commissioner's job cannot be done by just one person and Franco Debono will be assisted by the Justice Unit," Bonnici said.

While pointing out that only Parliament can enact new legislation, Bonnici added that Debono will not only be responsible for removing conflicting laws and other legislation which the Constitutional Court deemed as unconstitutional and in breach of fundamental rights, "but Franco Debono will also head the Constitutional reform."

Bonnici also noted that Debono would be asked to provide his and advise expertise on the political party financing law and other laws.

Debono's term will last one year and will be reviewed year by year, Bonnici said.

Debono will keep his private practice, however the Parliamentary Secretary stressed that there would be no conflict of interest because decisions can only be taken by Parliament and the Government.

Debono's appointment as Commissioner of Law was made public on Saturday, in a statement issued by government.

The office has been established according to the 1980 Act on the Revision of Statutory Laws. According to the government, Debono's role will be vast but will ensure better and more correct legislation.

The law also provides the Commissioner to carry out other specific duties granted to him by the government. To this aim, Debono was given the role to be responsible of coordinating the Constitutional Convention.

Debono's first job will be to prepare the terms of reference for the Constitutional Convention.

In recent months, Debono had maintained that he would be ready to take up similar jobs, whoever was in government. In an interview with MaltaToday in December, Debono had said that he would not refuse attractive propositions such as heading a Constitutional reform process if this arises.

avatar
chikku, chose your buffoons at your leisure! Actually you already have, but your choice was not the majority's, thank God! The Maltese have voted and have chosen responsible politicians. As for my political allegiances, let me assure you that they have always been with Malta first and foremost. As well as those that have, and/or will practice policies beneficial to the nation, rather than as disastrously practiced by GonziPN. chikku, no capable Maltese of good faith is irrelevant within the New Movement!
avatar
Emmanuel Mallia
I wonder what DCG has to say now ! Where is she these days !
avatar
All GonziPN blogers. Insejtu kemm kontu tiktbu li Muscat qed juzh lill Franco u wara jarmieh b'hall lumija? Imma dakinhar kontu bzonnu u pprovajtu tuzawh inthom biex ma' jkomplix jikxef il-borma tinten tal-Klikka tal Hazen li sal-lum ghandha tmexxi lill-Gonzi u Simon u l-partit kollu.
avatar
Il-Partit Nazzjonalista ddeskriva din il-hatra bhala wahda diviziva u insolenti! Vera li d-dirigenti tal-PN ma jafux xi tfisser misthija. Jekk din hi hatra diviziva u insolenti mela x'tissejjah l-elevazzjoni ta' Edward Fenech Adami ghall-kariga ta' president? Gest ta' ghaqda Nazzjonali? Jew l-isfida frontali ta' Lawrence Gonzi li hatar lil RCC bhala konsulent meta dan kien ghadu kif gie sfiducjat mill-Parlament!! Biex tiskongra trid tkun pur ighid il-Malti; in-Nazzjonalisti huma kollox barra puri!!!!!!!!!!
avatar
@ Better Future. Well in that case lets get some new buffoons to spend our money. No - of course not. Two wrongs don't make a right. I shall refrain from throwing in some insult as an attempt at guessing your political allegiance because it would be UTTERLY IRRELEVANT.
avatar
Albert Zammit
If the PN made a Labour leaning President , IT IS a GOOD idea, but if the PL uses the talents of an ""IRRELEVANT"" Nationalist lawyer it is a BAD idea . Double standards ?????? Good Luck Franco , show them your behind and lead the way !
avatar
chikku, whilst you were snoozing and dazed by GonziPN's brilliance, these same people were empting the national coffers, and creating a huge national debt. All for you and your family, and your and their descendants, to relish in the future in poverty.
avatar
Welcome back on the gravy train Mr. Debono. Have a nice ride for our money.
avatar
U meta JM qalilna li l-parlamentari ma jithallsux jekk ma imorrux il-parlament hsibna li flusna fis-sod. Jidher li ghandna id-dejn u ser naghtu bonus lil FD waqt li jkompli b xoghlu. Nahseb li Gonzi kellu ragun u jidher li morna minn got tagen ghal gon nar.
avatar
Why not. I am sure that he is the best person for the job and he will definitely deliver.
avatar
He is just to ricieve the same ammount of salary that a detention officer without any qualifications earns every 4 weeks when working some extra hours. Good luck for what you deserve.
avatar
Emmanuel Mallia
Franco is suddenly relevant to PN. Remember those online insults from catholic PN activists ! But now, the PN missed the bus !
avatar
A lot is being made of the remuneration and expenses which this position carries. Franco can do without the €24,000 annual retainer for his services. I am sure that considering the time he will invest in this position, he would have been able to make far more using that time in his profession. He will work and earn that retainer, after all he has a right to it like everyone else, for all the work that is involved. In fact, I am sure he accepted the remuneration not on the basis of a cost benefit analysis, but out of pride, a sense of duty and at being able to help his nation. Do you realise that this retainer is far less than what the GonziPN ministers appropriated for themselves in salary INCREASES alone. That's without taking into account the additional allowances and additional car.
avatar
No office will remain "dormant! with Dr. Franco Debono in it, that is for sure! Dr. Debono delivers ! Not that high considering...HE WAS NEVER IN GonziPN's pool of limited talent from where Gonzi chose his Cabinet of Ministers!
avatar
This tiny country of ours needs the best brains it can offer, in all fields. Franco Debono is a brilliant young lawyer. If GonziPN chose to ignore his talents, kudos to a Labour government who chooses not to ignore them. Let us, as a nation, stop wasting precious resources.